brothers wrote:
Part of the proposed increase in state education spending is due to higher enrollment, since the number of students in public schools have grown steadily since the mid-1980’s and, at nearly 47 million, are at a record high.
(A) enrollment, since the number of students in public schools have grown steadily since the mid-1980’s and, at nearly 47 million, are at
(B) enrollment, with a number of students in public schools growing steadily since the mid-1980’s and, at nearly 47 million, reaching
(C) enrollment: since students in public schools have grown steadily in number since the mid-1980’s and, at nearly 47 million, have reached
(D) enrollment: the number of students in public schools has grown steadily since the mid-1980’s and, at nearly 47 million, has reached
(E) enrollment: students in public schools have grown steadily in number, since the mid-1980’s and, at nearly 47 million, are at
Pre-thinking -
1. What has grown steadily? -> The number of students
2. What is at a record high? The same number identified above
Now to eliminate answers -
A : the number of students - Subject needs a singular verb. Also tense is incorrect
enrollment, since the number of students in public schools
have grown steadily since the mid-1980’s and, at nearly 47 million,
are at
B : Keep in mind what the subject is. This sentence wrongly considers the students as the subject and not the number of students.
"with a number of students in public schools growing steadily" > What this is implying is that the students are growing and not the number itself.
C : This option again considers students as the subject but changes the context of the statement. Follow the role of the subject as you read C -
enrollment: since
students in public schools have grown steadily in number since the mid-1980’s and, at nearly 47 million,
have reached
Students have reached a record high? Or the number of students have reached a record high?
D : enrollment: the number of students in public schools
has grown steadily since the mid-1980’s and, at nearly 47 million,
has reached
Subject - Number of students
CorrectE : enrollment:
students [Subject] in public schools
have grown steadily in number, since the mid-1980’s and, at nearly 47 million,
are at
Students have grown in number - Correct
Students
are at a record high? - Incorrect, wrong subject